Willamette University

Willamette University is a private liberal arts college in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest college in the Western United States. Originally named the Oregon Institute, the school was an unaffiliated outgrowth of the Methodist Mission. The name was changed to Wallamet University in 1852, followed by the current spelling in 1870. Willamette founded the first medical school and law school in the Pacific Northwest in the second half of the 19th century. Approximately 2,400 students are enrolled at Willamette between its undergraduate and graduate programs. After it merged with the Pacific Northwest College of Art in 2021, it has an additional campus in Portland, Oregon which also contains a graduate education center. The college is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division III Northwest Conference.